Entrance refrigerator

Abstract

In order to prevent condensation from forming on a surface of an inner gasket surrounded on a rear surface of an indoor side door of an entrance refrigerator, the entrance refrigerator has a flow passage structure in which a portion of indoor air, whose temperature is increased by heat exchange with a heat sink, flows along the surface of the inner gasket.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An entrance refrigerator, comprising:
 a cabinet configured to extend through a door or a wall, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein for storing goods; 
 a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet; 
 an outdoor side door coupled to an outdoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment; 
 an indoor side door coupled to an indoor portion of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment; 
 a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier being located in a space defined by the housing and the lower side of the cabinet; 
 an inner gasket located between the cabinet and the indoor side door; and
 a guide rib extending along a portion of the cabinet outwardly of the inner gasket, 
 
 wherein an air pocket is provided between the inner gasket and the guide rib, the air pocket being formed by an outer surface of the inner gasket, an outer surface of the cabinet, an inner surface of the guide rib, and an inner surface of the indoor side door, and 
 wherein the air pocket is isolated from the storage compartment by the inner gasket, such that air in the air pocket is not introduced into the storage compartment. 
 
     
     
       2. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the cabinet includes a wall having an opening therein to access the storage compartment, the indoor side door being coupled to the cabinet to open or close the opening, and
 wherein the inner gasket surrounds the opening. 
 
     
     
       3. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a rear discharge port provided in a rear portion of the housing, the rear discharge port being covered by the indoor side door, and
 wherein the rear discharge port is configured to communicate with the air pocket such that at least a portion of air in the space defined by the housing and the lower side of the cabinet is configured to flow along the air pocket. 
 
     
     
       4. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 3 , wherein the guide rib comprises:
 a first end located on the housing at a first side of the rear discharge port; 
 a second end located on the housing at a second side of the rear discharge port; and 
 an intermediate portion located on a rear side of the cabinet, the intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end. 
 
     
     
       5. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 1 , further comprising an air hole provided at an upper side of the cabinet, the air hole communicating with the air pocket so that air in the air pocket may exit the air pocket through the air hole. 
     
     
       6. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 5 , wherein the cabinet comprises:
 a first portion configured to extend through the door or the wall to provide the outdoor portion of the cabinet; and 
 a second portion to provide the indoor portion of the cabinet, 
 wherein a lower end of the second portion extends downward further than a lower end of the first portion, and 
 wherein a front surface of the second portion is configured to be located in close proximity to the door or the wall. 
 
     
     
       7. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the housing is located at the lower end of the indoor portion of the cabinet. 
     
     
       8. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 6 , wherein the cold air supplier comprises:
 a thermoelectric element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat generating surface; 
 a cold sink in contact with the heat absorbing surface; 
 a heat absorption fan disposed above the cold sink; 
 a heat sink in contact with the heat generating surface; and 
 a heat dissipation fan disposed below the heat sink. 
 
     
     
       9. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 8 , wherein the cold air supplier further comprises an insulation material located between the cold sink and the heat sink to reduce heat transfer between the heat sink and the cold sink. 
     
     
       10. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 9 , wherein a bottom of the second portion of the cabinet includes a cold air suction hole,
 wherein the heat absorption fan is located in the storage compartment, 
 wherein the thermoelectric element, the insulation material and at least a portion of the cold sink are located in the cold air suction hole, and 
 wherein the heat dissipation fan and at least a portion of the heat sink are located in the housing. 
 
     
     
       11. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 10 , wherein the housing includes:
 a rear discharge port provided in a rear portion of the housing; 
 a housing suction hole provided in a bottom portion of the housing; and 
 a suction plate located at the housing suction hole, the suction plate including a plurality of through-holes provided therein through which indoor air is suctioned, 
 wherein the heat dissipation fan is configured to operate to introduce indoor air into the housing through the suction plate, 
 wherein the heat sink is configured to increase a temperature of the indoor air introduced into the housing, 
 wherein at least a portion of the indoor air, whose temperature is increased, is discharged through the rear discharge port, and 
 wherein at least a portion of the indoor air discharged through the rear discharge port rises and enters the air pocket. 
 
     
     
       12. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the indoor air located in the air pocket is discharged out of the air pocket through the air hole. 
     
     
       13. The entrance refrigerator according to  claim 11 , further comprising an air gap provided between the guide rib and the inner surface of the indoor side door, the air gap communicating with the air pocket so that indoor air located in the air pocket may exit the air pocket through the air gap. 
     
     
       14. A refrigerator, comprising:
 a cabinet configured to be located partially within a barrier of a building, the cabinet including a storage compartment therein, the cabinet having a first opening into the storage compartment and a second opening into the storage compartment, the second opening being spaced from the first opening; 
 a housing located at a lower side of the cabinet; 
 a first door coupled to the cabinet to open or close the first opening; 
 a second door coupled to the cabinet to open or close the second opening; 
 a cold air supplier configured to supply cold air to the storage compartment, at least a portion of the cold air supplier being located within the housing; 
 an inner gasket located between the cabinet and the second door; and
 a guide rib extending along a portion of the cabinet outwardly of the inner gasket, 
 
 wherein an air pocket is provided between the inner gasket and the guide rib, the air pocket being formed by an outer surface of the inner gasket, an outer surface of the cabinet, an inner surface of the guide rib, and an inner surface of the second door, and 
 wherein the air pocket is isolated from the storage compartment by the inner gasket, such that air in the air pocket is not introduced into the storage compartment. 
 
     
     
       15. The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , further comprising an air hole provided at an upper side of the cabinet, the air hole communicating with the air pocket so that air in the air pocket may exit the air pocket through the air hole. 
     
     
       16. The refrigerator according to  claim 15 , further comprising an air gap provided between the guide rib and the inner surface of the second door, the air gap communicating with the air pocket so that indoor air located in the air pocket may exit the air pocket through the air gap. 
     
     
       17. The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the housing includes a discharge port provided in a wall of the housing, the discharge port being covered by the second door, and
 wherein the rear discharge port is configured to communicate with the air pocket such that at least a portion of air in a space defined by the housing and the lower side of the cabinet is configured to flow along the air pocket. 
 
     
     
       18. The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the guide rib comprises:
 a first end located on the wall of the housing at a first side of the discharge port; 
 a second end located on the wall of the housing at a second side of the discharge port; and 
 an intermediate portion located on a side of the cabinet, the intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end. 
 
     
     
       19. The refrigerator according to  claim 14 , wherein the cold air supplier comprises:
 a thermoelectric element having a heat absorbing surface and a heat generating surface; 
 a cold sink in contact with the heat absorbing surface; 
 a heat absorption fan disposed above the cold sink; 
 a heat sink in contact with the heat generating surface; and 
 a heat dissipation fan disposed below the heat sink. 
 
     
     
       20. The refrigerator according to  claim 19 , wherein the housing includes:
 a discharge port provided in a wall of the housing; 
 a housing suction hole provided in a bottom portion of the housing; and 
 a suction plate located at the housing suction hole, the suction plate including a plurality of through-holes provided therein through which air is suctioned, 
 wherein the heat dissipation fan is configured to operate to introduce air into the housing through the suction plate, 
 wherein the heat sink is configured to increase a temperature of the air introduced into the housing, 
 wherein at least a portion of the air, whose temperature is increased, is discharged through the discharge port, and 
 wherein at least a portion of the air discharged through the discharge port rises and enters the air pocket.